Lone hen, broody - will she mother new chicks?

[EggyErin]

My flock was decimated by a bobcat so I have one lone hen who is recovering from injury. She has gone broody, I don't know why, and she's very intent on it. She sits that empty nest around the clock except for moments for forced exercise in the chicken yard. I plan to order a batch of chicks. Will she take more kindly to them because she's broody? I won't try to break it until I get some responses. This has been going on a couple of weeks. I've been out of town so I just let her be during that time.

 

[Lamaremybabies]

If she's broody she will most likely take the chicks and raise them as her own. I know it's recommended that when giving chicks to a broody who didn't hatch them you should do so at night when it's dark so that she doesn't over think the situation and just thinks hey I hatched these! Goodluck

 

[bobbi-j]

Being broody is the only way she will accept chicks. I'd keep an eye on her, though, to make sure she's OK with them.

 

[sourland]

It's an excellent way to replenish your flock.

 

[EggyErin]

I've just ordered nine chicks to ship Sept. 6. Is that too many for her and will her broodiness hold out until then? She's been broody for almost three weeks.

 

[bobbi-j]

I've just ordered nine chicks to ship Sept. 6. Is that too many for her and will her broodiness hold out until then? She's been broody for almost three weeks.

Nine chicks should be fine, but I would have a back up plan to brood them yourself in case she does break before then. The broody I had last year quit right at about 3 weeks. I didn't want any more chicks, so I didn't let her hatch. I kept taking her off the nest since I don't have a broody buster cage. Finally, she just stayed off one day.

 

[Hensndoes]

Good luck! As stated have a back up plan and do some reading on sneaking babies in. I've done it twice this summer but read all kinds of threads here and watched some videos first. You may want to give her some fake eggs to keep in the meantime. Warm them up first. My first broody took babies with no drama but chased them off at 3 weeks. Sussexes like their treats I guess. The second, a cuckoo, was a different store. She was so protective over the nest that we had a bit of commotion in the sneaky step. Scary and thought she may kill them by morning. Try to do it with no flashlight. Going on 7 weeks and she is by far a better mama than the Sussex ever was.

 

[lazy gardener]

How long has she been broody? IMO, waiting until Sept 9 will be a bit iffy. For several reasons:

If she stays broody until then, that's a very long time, and she may have lost irreparable condition in that length of time. Chickens are created to brood eggs for about 21 days. Longer than that, and they will either quit brooding, or loose much more condition than their bodies were created to tolerate.

Her broody hormones are most likely at the right level to be successful at fostering chicks right around the 21 day mark. I would endeavor to get chicks under her in that time frame.

9 chicks would be a great number. They will most likely be successfully fostered to her if they are less than 3 days old. Not only must the hen accept the chicks, but the chicks must accept or imprint to the hen. A chick that is too old will not imprint, and will not see hen as Mama, will not seek her out for safety, nurture and heat, may very well and rightly so be afraid of her.

 

[EggyErin]

I do worry about her condition. Food and water is just outside her nest box but I take her out into the chicken yard for brief forced exercise and she usually eats and drinks then. I've noticed the choicer bits of her feed have been disappearing so at least she's eating. Sounds like I may have to break the broody, though, before the chicks arrive since that will have been about a month of broodiness. What about dosing her with Nutri-Drench? Would that be helpful for her?

 

[Hensndoes]

My first hen was broody for 7 weeks (we tried to break her multiple time but she was determined). Nothing could break her and she went from mother mode to instant broody after 3 weeks with chicks. Then freezer camp. My second broody stayed at it for 5 weeks. Both were forced off daily for food and exercise and made it just fine. It's awesome to watch a mama do her thing as long as you make sure she eats and stretches her legs. It's also way easier on you. Don't panic and keep and keep an eye on her. Vitamins in her water and high protein snacks (not scratch) are good for her.